[Ugh] Another Honors Devaluation up to 200k

[brp]

While "anyone can get the Aspire card" I don't think this ties much into the top-tier neutering. The reason is first there is the annual fee that I'd argue not a lot of people are jumping on. Plus, that gets you one FNC. It doesn't get you any specific amount of points, and again in "normal spend" you'd have to churn $33,000ish dollars to get 100,000 pts.

The card gets top tier status, and that's enough for some. I don't have numbers, but I'm sure that the uptake is large (as exemplified in the Bonvoy comment above). This inflates the rank of "top tier" elites and crowds lounges making their operation more expensive. Same with free breakfast - remember that?

I'd think that the influx of cheap top-tier elites has impacted the neutering.

International Hilton lounges are still good, which is why we tend to stay at Hilton internationally, virtually never domestically.

Cheers.

 

[jp10558]

The card gets top tier status, and that's enough for some. I don't have numbers, but I'm sure that the uptake is large (as exemplified in the Bonvoy comment above). This inflates the rank of "top tier" elites and crowds lounges making their operation more expensive. Same with free breakfast - remember that?

But then - I don't get the devaluation comment - if people just want Diamond but are paying the hotel the $1,200 a night or whatever it is - why would the hotel not be happy about that?

It seems like more locations than ever offer a "free hot breakfast" in the ads, but those are I guess Hampton etc... lower end.

 

[brp]

But then - I don't get the devaluation comment - if people just want Diamond but are paying the hotel the $1,200 a night or whatever it is - why would the hotel not be happy about that?

It seems like more locations than ever offer a "free hot breakfast" in the ads, but those are I guess Hampton etc... lower end.

Yeah, the "free breakfast" is lower end. As for the devaluation, "back in the day" one could be Diamond, pay $250 for a Hilton hotel and get the breakfast as well. I
don't recall what else went away from Diamond benefits since we don't stay with them in the US, but there may be more. Basically, pay the same as before, and get
less as a "top tier" elite. To me, that's a devaluation of the benefit.

Cheers.

 

[JohnnyO]

Yeah, the "free breakfast" is lower end. As for the devaluation, "back in the day" one could be Diamond, pay $250 for a Hilton hotel and get the breakfast as well. I
don't recall what else went away from Diamond benefits since we don't stay with them in the US, but there may be more. Basically, pay the same as before, and get
less as a "top tier" elite. To me, that's a devaluation of the benefit.

Cheers.

Diamond benefits are different depending on the hotel brand. Some brands offer breakfast or a credit towards F&B. Some brands offer upgrades but others don't. Some offer a combination of benefits as well as bonus HH points. For each brand you can select your preference in the app. In my experience the benefits are granted no matter if it's a paid reservation, points reservation or an FNC.

 

[brp]

Diamond benefits are different depending on the hotel brand. Some brands offer breakfast or a credit towards F&B. Some brands offer upgrades but others don't. Some offer a combination of benefits as well as bonus HH points. For each brand you can select your preference in the app. In my experience the benefits are granted no matter if it's a paid reservation, points reservation or an FNC.

AFAIK, none of the hotel brands that don't offer breakfast to all (like Hampton) offer breakfast to Diamonds as they did in the past. AFAIK, they are all F&B credit now. I could be incorrect, but that is my understanding of the change. And just speaking US properties.

Cheers.

 

[Tucsonadventurer]

While "anyone can get the Aspire card" I don't think this ties much into the top-tier neutering. The reason is first there is the annual fee that I'd argue not a lot of people are jumping on. Plus, that gets you one FNC. It doesn't get you any specific amount of points, and again in "normal spend" you'd have to churn $33,000ish dollars to get 100,000 pts.

While this is certainly more than the people who'd spend 90 days in a hotel in a year, I question if the numbers are high enough to actually pressure many locations, because remember, there's another "gate" which is people willing to spend that 100k pts on a single night vs 2 nights or 2 rooms at an average / decent property. Hell, I'd kinda think the TS presentation "get to a million points" people are more likely to burn 100k like that.

Anyway, no matter what I don't think the status is really related to points costs for hotels in Hilton. Unless you're saying no points earning cards, you can only get points from paid stays at Hiltons. But then I think you're back to throwing away most/all leisure loyalty - I can see business travel people doing that, but that's a small (and maybe shrinking) market IMO. At least compared to vacations.

We use the credits , 200 each half yr for nice Hilton restaurants . That plus the free night makes the fee doable

 

[mountainboy]

We use the credits , 200 each half yr for nice Hilton restaurants . That plus the free night makes the fee doable

+ Pay MFs (for some HGVC): necessary expense (for HGVC owners) so excellent use of Aspire credit...

 

[ljmiii]

On the hotel owners complaining - again I don't know about lounge to guest ratios they expect to handle - is it "everyone" has status, or are they just packed hotels (which I would think would make them happy)...

Well yeah, that's the problem. The "Ambassador 2, Titanium 10, Platinum 80" sign I referenced upthread would have been more like "Ambassador 2, Titanium 10, Platinum 20" before last year when Brilliant started to provide 'free' Platinum instead of Gold (not that there was ever a need for the sign before).

 

[ljmiii]

AFAIK, none of the hotel brands that don't offer breakfast to all (like Hampton) offer breakfast to Diamonds as they did in the past. AFAIK, they are all F&B credit now. I could be incorrect, but that is my understanding of the change. And just speaking US properties.

I believe you are correct...but that last sentence is a huge codicil. Higher end Hiltons outside the US still have lounges and offer expansive complimentary breakfasts to Diamond members. Both the Hilton Stockholm Slussen and Iceland Parliament Hotel (Curio) provided us with amazing breakfasts and acceptable lounges. The only Hilton in the US that I know still has a lounge is the New York Hilton Midtown (though in all honesty I don't stay at Hiltons in the US that frequently).

International Hilton lounges are still good, which is why we tend to stay at Hilton internationally, virtually never domestically.

EDITED: I only saw this in another comment you wrote after I posted my first response. Carry on...;-)

 

[mountainboy]

Well yeah, that's the problem. The "Ambassador 2, Titanium 10, Platinum 80" sign I referenced upthread would have been more like "Ambassador 2, Titanium 10, Platinum 20" before last year when Brilliant started to provide 'free' Platinum instead of Gold (not that there was ever a need for the sign before).

*Almost 3 yrs now (2022)...

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card gets a bunch of new benefits — and a higher annual fee - The Points Guy

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express card is undergoing a major overhaul, with new perks and enhanced benefits but a higher annual fee.

thepointsguy.com

 

[brp]

Both the Hilton Stockholm Slussen and Iceland Parliament Hotel (Curio) provided us with amazing breakfasts and acceptable lounges.

We've stayed at the Slussen and it was very good. We stayed at a Hilton in Iceland, but don't recall which one.

The Hilton Helsinki strand is great. Our prior stay there we got upgraded to a suite in the same line as the EL. And our room was about 2/3 the size of the entire SL. We could have housed a family of sled dogs in there.

Cheers.

 

[ljmiii]

*Almost 3 yrs now (2022)...

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card gets a bunch of new benefits — and a higher annual fee - The Points Guy

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express card is undergoing a major overhaul, with new perks and enhanced benefits but a higher annual fee.

thepointsguy.com

I looked it up to double check the year and read a TPG article from early 2024 that said Platinum instead of Gold was new that year. Sigh.

 

[mountainboy]

I looked it up to double check the year and read a TPG article from early 2024 that said Platinum instead of Gold was new that year. Sigh.

nw; all good.
TPG articles are unfort notoriously out of date, as they 'update' & rehash all articles, to get more eyeballs.
I am Marriott Platinum from Brilliant card & hence know it's been a while..
Hope everyone enjoys the precious time with loved ones, this Memorial Day/summer/all year!

 

[Tamaradarann]

Another overnight Hilton price hike...all the way to 200K points per night

Hilton Honors increased prices of many of its high-end properties for second time in six months. Some properties now cost 200K points/night.

frequentmiler.com

That is nothing compared to the Doubletree in Hilo, HI. We booked that last year for 50K points a night during the Merrie Monarch Hula Festival. In 2026 the nights are going for 500K points a night.

 

[mountainboy]

That is nothing compared to the Doubletree in Hilo, HI. We booked that last year for 50K points a night during the Merrie Monarch Hula Festival. In 2026 the nights are going for 500K points a night.

Dynamic pricing
once std room reward nites are sold out, all bets are off..

 

[mountainboy]

*I was able to book some really nice HH pts/$ value, for HH brand hotels in Omaha for next year's BRK meeting, if I go to see Warren Buffet IRL.
All about timing. Once cheaper pt redemptions are gone, it is high cash or HH pts only...

 

[Tamaradarann]

Dynamic pricing
once std room reward nites are sold out, all bets are off..

Yes and this is the only Hilton within a 1-1/2 to 2 hour drive at night over the mountain to Waikaloa if you want to stay at a Hilton when going to Merrie Monarch. This is really a special event(the World Series of Hula) so dynamic pricing is surely going on. It was just a huge raise from the year before. We are thankful for being able to experience it in 2024 and 2015. Meeting
Steve and Billy from Hawaii New Now when they were there in the morning and Steve at night at the restaurant.

 

[h2oflyboy]

upcoming The Quin, MBV, KBC, KL. Which of these properties is likely to increase my HH for an OU? I’ve had extremely bad luck in NYC getting anything over 100k. MBV has accommodated me at 120k - I have never done an OU at the other 2 (KBC & KL). Since this devaluation of HH awards, I’m going to ask for 150k minimum. I used 1.6M HH for a month long journey in Europe and I need to refill my HH account.

This week, I priced WA Pedregal for anything standard! Couldn’t find any dates. So 190k really isn’t in their numbers!

Which property do you think will go to 150k HH?

 

[ljmiii]

Just a data point about the medium to high end properties at which we have reservations...

The Conrad New York Downtown went from 90K to 95K and was the only one to see an increase.

The Conrad Tokyo remained at 100K and the London Bankside and Barbados Hilton at 75K.

(I had an unexpected trip to downtown NYC to which I wanted to apply a FNR and needed to see where I should rebook with points).

 

[brp]

...and the London Bankside and Barbados Hilton at 75K.

When are you actually seeing London Bankside for the standard 75K? I was looking earlier this year (actually preferred Tower Bridge - 70K and right on the Thames, albeit no pool) and never found anything other than premium rewards offered at Bankside. Someone on a Flyertalk thread I follow is currently looking for standard at Bankside in January onwards and only seeing premium and no standard.

Cheers.

 

[ljmiii]

When are you actually seeing London Bankside for the standard 75K?...

Late July and early August 2025 was wide open a little less than year in advance (a time I would have anticipated having more difficulty than January). About two months ago when I had a pair of FNRs to swap in, I had a bit of difficulty with the room with two twins (only one of the three nights we had chosen were available) but I had no problem adding a King room FNR. Nor did I have a problem yesterday making a standard points reservation for a King room (that was the FNR that I swapped into the Conrad Downtown).

No idea what's happening next year. Maybe Hiltons decide how many rooms to make available for standard redemptions on a yearly basis? Or maybe the Bankside has just become more popular...I actually had ressies at the Waldorf that I swapped into Bankside because of the Waldorf's mixed reviews compared to Bankside's glowing ones.

 

[brp]

No idea what's happening next year. Maybe Hiltons decide how many rooms to make available for standard redemptions on a yearly basis? Or maybe the Bankside has just become more popular...I actually had ressies at the Waldorf that I swapped into Bankside because of the Waldorf's mixed reviews compared to Bankside's glowing ones.

We had Waldorf, for the great location. we've stayed there several times before, but it has, apparently, gone downhill quite a bit. So we switched to Towqer Bridge as were there recently and know we like it. Also, it's 70K vs. 85K (I believe) for Waldorf.

Cheers.

 

[JohnnyO]

Hampton Inn Santa Fe New Mexico … we didn’t book ahead as we needed to see the neighborhood for security reasons due to having moving van and trailer. So so it was $40 more or $230 all in but the points stayed the same so we used 45k HH points. Kind of high but it’s 0.00511111. Use 'em before we lose ‘em. Tried to get into a HVC unit via DeX Xtras but the payment system isn’t working. A 1BR was $165 plus tax. So $195. But would have had to park out in the street.

Here is an article on Hampton Inn. I post it here because I think it is paywall but I can’t tell. I get everything through Apple.

American Mid: Hampton Inn’s Good-Enough Formula for World Domination

Hampton has become the largest US chain, and a global export, by being rigorously OK. The waffle makers are standing by.

American Mid: Hampton Inn’s Good-Enough Formula for World Domination — Bloomberg Businessweek

Hampton has become the largest US chain, and a global export, by being rigorously OK. The waffle makers are standing by.

apple.news

 

[JohnnyO]

Hampton Inn Santa Fe New Mexico … we didn’t book ahead as we needed to see the neighborhood for security reasons due to having moving van and trailer. So so it was $40 more or $230 all in but the points stayed the same so we used 45k HH points. Kind of high but it’s 0.00511111. Use 'em before we lose ‘em. Tried to get into a HVC unit via DeX Xtras but the payment system isn’t working. A 1BR was $165 plus tax. So $195. But would have had to park out in the street.

Here is an article on Hampton Inn. I post it here because I think it is paywall but I can’t tell. I get everything through Apple.

American Mid: Hampton Inn’s Good-Enough Formula for World Domination

Hampton has become the largest US chain, and a global export, by being rigorously OK. The waffle makers are standing by.

American Mid: Hampton Inn’s Good-Enough Formula for World Domination — Bloomberg Businessweek

Hampton has become the largest US chain, and a global export, by being rigorously OK. The waffle makers are standing by.

apple.news

So wait till you hear about this adventure … this morning at 4:30 am we head out to the truck and trailer which Hampton Inn made me park on the street. I set my bags down and go to grab the key. And a homeless dude opens the drivers door and says “are you John?” Don’t worry I’m just cold and didn’t steal anything. I’m like WTF how did you get in there. Needless to say I’m always prepared for any trouble and I detain and question the guy. He has my jacket on, had gone through most of the crew cab not finding much of any value for a thieving bum, and I ask him to empty his bag. He then explains he has my cantina and a flashlight. So much for honest thieves. He wasn’t threatening nor violent so I just let him go. As far as I can tell all is well but I still was shook and felt violated. So much for safety in Santa Fe, NM.

 

[HuskerATL]

So wait till you hear about this adventure … this morning at 4:30 am we head out to the truck and trailer which Hampton Inn made me park on the street. I set my bags down and go to grab the key. And a homeless dude opens the drivers door and says “are you John?” Don’t worry I’m just cold and didn’t steal anything. I’m like WTF how did you get in there. Needless to say I’m always prepared for any trouble and I detain and question the guy. He has my jacket on, had gone through most of the crew cab not finding much of any value for a thieving bum, and I ask him to empty his bag. He then explains he has my cantina and a flashlight. So much for honest thieves. He wasn’t threatening nor violent so I just let him go. As far as I can tell all is well but I still was shook and felt violated. So much for safety in Santa Fe, NM.

Wow.... Nothing like waking up early to a bit of drama....

Glad to hear that it worked out though....ugh..